To those who think this makes Staal more tradeable, please point to one time in any major professional sport that someone was re-signed ni midseason to a lengthy deal and then dealt before the season ended? One. Any. One.

MrBrightside wrote:To those who think this makes Staal more tradeable, please point to one time in any major professional sport that someone was re-signed ni midseason to a lengthy deal and then dealt before the season ended? One. Any. One.

I said the same thing in my post before, plus why would a team spend its energy and resources trying to sign a guy to a long term contract they where just going to trade. You don't negotiate with guys mid season unless you want them

SoupOrSam wrote:If that is the case there is def a trade in Staal's future imo. I just cannot see justifying $4m in a 3rd line center...even if it is a first round draft pick. Money has to be spread to the wings. We can always fill the 3rd and 4th line season after season with signings imo. Nothing against Staal. I just think this is insurance for RFA status.

4 years not 4 mil atm. I don't think the $ has been released yet.

Wow. I guess I just fell victim to the thing I hate most. not reading someone else's post. Sorry for that crowd!

I stand by my original comments in this case then.

Last edited by SoupOrSam on Thu Jan 08, 2009 12:17 pm, edited 2 times in total.

Player A is Vinny Lecavalier. Player B is Joe Thornton. Is Staal really that far off?

It's kind of ridiculous when people look at a 20-year-old and act as if he is a finished product. 95% of players his age are, at the very best, in their first year of professional hockey. Many others are still in college or juniors. Staal already has a 29-goal season under his belt. And, before anyone discounts it -- IT HAPPENED. It proves he can...he just needs to develop into that type of player consistently.

EDIT:

To do some math:

Lecavalier had 146 points and was -70 in his first three seasons

Thornton had 108 points and was -8 in his first three seasons.

So far, Staal has amassed 91 points and is +6 in his first 2 1/2 seasons, with 41 more games to go.

Last edited by Defence21 on Thu Jan 08, 2009 12:23 pm, edited 1 time in total.